Chord/Scale Tab

The Chord/Scale tab is used to design a chord. The tab contains four chord keyboards on the left side and four scale keyboards on the right side. You can use the four levels of chord structure to combine multiple layers of chord tones, and create chords with as much complexity as you need. The following illustration shows the Chord/Scale tab in the Chord Properties window.

DirectMusic Producer uses a unique system for naming notes in chords. In this system, 2C is a reference pitch that can be considered a mid-range pitch on any instrument that is playing. The pitches between 1C and 2C (moving up the scale from 1C) are 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1A, and 1B. Only four octaves are available for constructing chords: these octaves range from 1C to 4B. Only two octaves are available for creating chord roots: these octaves range from 1C to 2B.

The Chord/Scale tab contains the following elements:

• Chord root name

  The root name of a chord is determined automatically from the bottom note in the level 1 chord. Click the up-down arrows next to the chord root name box to choose a different root. This transposes all notes up or down throughout the Chord Properties window. You can also set a new root by selecting a note in the yellow area of level 1.

  You can choose any root note in the lower two octaves of level 1, ranging from 1C to 2B. Octave 1 represents the 12 pitches from C to B directly below C2. Octave 2 represents the 12 pitches from C to B directly above C2, inclusive. For more information, see Chord Structure Guidelines.

• Chord type

  Enter a name or abbreviation to identify the chord type. In the preceding illustration, M9 (#11) represents a major 7 chord with added 9th and #11 extensions.

• Root Name Notation

  Click Sharps to select standard notation or Flats to select enharmonic notation. By default, sharps are used for chord root names. When you insert chords into a segment using the Compose Chords Button, the enharmonic spelling reverts to sharps.

• Chord structure

  Four on-screen keyboards are used to define the chord structure for each level. Four octaves are shown, with the lower two octaves in yellow. Click a note to select it; selected notes are red.

  Each keyboard represents a different chord level, and each level must contain a chord of either three or four notes. Chord structures on each level typically consist of steps 1, 3, 5, and optionally 7, of a seven-note scale. This means that steps 2, 4, and 6 of the scale are not used in the chord. For more information, see Chord Structure Guidelines and Using Complex Chords.

  While most simple chords use only a single chord structure that is repeated on all four levels, you can use levels 2, 3, and 4 to add different notes as the upper extensions, such as a 9ths, 11ths, or 13ths, of the chord in level 1. You can also use levels 2, 3, and 4 to design a complex polychord constructed from four independent chords. You can set instrument parts in a pattern that uses the different chord levels; as a part encounters a chord, it uses the chord and scale on the level to which it is assigned. For information about assigning chord levels in a pattern, see Part Properties.

  It is recommended that you use either a three-note or four-note chord in each of the four levels of the chord properties. You are not required to use traditional chords consisting of a root, 3rd, 5th, and 7th from a standard scale. The underlying scale should use seven notes. Standard practice is to construct chords of alternating notes of whatever scale you choose as the underlying scale for the chord. However, other chord and scale arrangements can be used. The 7th step of the scale can be used as an added tone for the chord, or left as a scale tone.

• Scale configuration

  The keyboards on the right are used to specify which scale to use for melodic lines with each chord level. The chord scale for each level must contain exactly seven pitches. In most situations, the tones of the chord are included as steps 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the scale. You can create a scale that does not contain the tones of the chord, but most patterns will behave unpredictably as they encounter the chord. Having too few notes may result in the notes within patterns being omitted, and having too many notes may result in scale notes not being used.

  Pitches that you select for a scale are shown in red, while unselected pitches are white or black. A pitch that is a chord tone but not in the scale is blue, alerting you that you may want to include the tone in the scale, because it is part of the chord.

• Enable MIDI input

  Click one of these buttons to enable pitch entry on a MIDI keyboard at that level. For more information about using MIDI input, see Transport Options Toolbar.

• Play this level

  Click one of these buttons to play the chord and scale at that level.

• Play all levels

  Click this button to play all four chords in order, beginning at level 1.